SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 19020, 15 August 1925, Page 19

SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES

j>,i) [By Pobwakd.]

f l [ltems of interest-short, bright paragraphs of news, comments on these Notes, inquiries about difficulties—will bo welcomed by “Forward,”] “ Every boy wants to succeed in life, and rightly so. If you can instill into the marrow of a boy’s understanding that the success of life is infinitely more than success in life, you will do much to lift the coming race. To make life worth living, every effort must make / for the common good, not simply for self-advancement.”—From ‘ Boys,’ by D. L. Finnemore. Intermediate Sunday school teachers, Bible class loaders, and all interested in week-night activities for boys should derive considerable benefit and inspiration from the visit of Mr Edgar M. Robinson, representative of the Boys’ Division of the Y.M.O.A. World’s Committee. In First Church, on Sunday, at 3.30, his subject will be ‘ The World's Boyhood ’; and on Monday evening, at the Y.M.C.A., there will be a special conference with ministers on the subject ‘ The Church and the Boy.’ RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.

It is piore than time that New Zealand, as one of the most promising centres of human influence, was beginning to bestir herself on the whole question of moral and'religious education. Thus far this vital matter does not seem to have been taken very seriously. The following statement on the Director of Religious Education. Definition, and Duties may not only help in disseminating useful information, but in stirring present and potential leaders to enthusiasm and an enlightened policy

in this field:— Within the last ten years there has been created a new profession—that of Director of Religious Education. The modern ago -recognises the importance of the child in society and the need of new methods of training better adapted to his developing nature. Leaders in the field of public school education have been revising curricula, remodelling the school system, increasing specialisation, and raising the standards of professional training. Likewise in the held of religion the emphasis has been directed to the education of the child and to the Deed of specialists and leaders trained in the technique of religious education. The aim is for the church schools of the country to be conducted upon as sound educational principles as the public schools and under the direction of as highly trained educators. In the process of growth and development of standards for a new profession there are bound to be more or less widely differing views as to the functions ot the new worker and his relation to the pastors and others in the same field. In the absence of any standards by which to be guided, the following statement of duties is proposed that churches, church boards, committees of religious education, ministers, as well as directors themselves, shall better understand the responsibilities involved.^ It will aid materially if all interested persons will bear in mind that religions education as a profession requires of men and women just as highly specialised training and as severe discipline as does the ministry. A director of religious education, according to the Religious Education Association, is “ one who, following college work, has received_ a certain amount of professional training through specific courses in religious education, and who is called to the specific task ot organising and directing the educational work of a church or of any religious institution.” The Director of Religious Education 1? the executive agent of the Education Committee of the church, and together they strive to keep themselves continually informed of progress and developments in -the field of religious education. The director carries out the policies adopted by the committee, and devises plans and programmes for their consideration and approval. The rjirector recognises the pasoor as head ot the church, and the pastor in turn recognises in the_ director a pro-fessionally-trained specialist, whose particular responsibility is the educational programme of tho church. It Ts the duty of the Director of Religious Education to arouse the adult membership of the church to a recognition of the educational needs and an appreciation of the aims of the Committee of Education and the director, and a willingness to co-operate in tho realisation of the same.

In carrying out the programme of religious education, the director acts in the capacity of both administrator and supervisor. As administrator his specific duties are: (1) To promote surveys of the community, the church school, and the individual pupil as a basis of determining the needs and formulating the programms. (2) To train secretaries and assistants in gathering •and_ interpreting necessary data and statistics. (3) To administer the school according to the best methods in tho uso of records, equipment, and church plant. (4) To draw up a budget to ho approved by the Committee of Education and submitted by them to the church or church board. (5) To recommend to the Committee of Education the appointment, transfer, and dismissal of teachers. (6) To work out a democratic method by which workers of tho school may share in its administration and thus be led into loyal support of its policies. As supervisor his aim is the improvement or teaching and teaching conditions so as to secure the highest possible development of the pupil. In this capacity his specific duties are;—(l) To unify the educational programme by correlating • existing programmes and agencies and introducing a church and cnurch school centred programme. (2) To secure the classification and promotion of pupils according to the best educational standards.' (3) To select suitable courses of study. (4) To interpret statistics .to Committee of Education, church school staff and pupils, and parents and members of the congregation through committee sessions, charts and graphs, workers’ conferences, par-ent-teachers’ meetings, church calendar, parish paper, periodic letters to the parents and cnurch members. (5) To measure results of teaching by_ means of teats administered at beginning, middlej and close of year; grades information tests; and grades moral and spiritual discrimination tests. (6) To vi.4it classes for the purpose of observation and assistance with problems. (7) To recruit leaders and teachers in church and church school. (8) To train teachers by training classes in the local school, encouraging attendance at community training schools, encouragjng attendance at summer schools and Conferences, encouraging attendance at professional schools? of religions education, teachers’ conferences, demonstration lessons, visits to ohserco expert teaching, and correspondence. (To be continued.)